The present invention relates to a portable weighing apparatus, and particularly a portable weighing apparatus adapted to be placed on the floor of a plant for purposes of weighing loads carried by forklift trucks and the like. Such weighing devices are commonly referred to as floor-mounted weighing devices.
Floor-mounted weighing devices are well known. Such devices rest on the floor in a plant or the like and include a weigh platform onto which a vehicle may be driven. A ramp is provided to drive the vehicle onto the load platform of the weighing apparatus. Such devices are portable, and accordingly may be moved from place to place.
In view of the fact that such floor-mounted weighing apparatus involves driving a vehicle onto the apparatus, it is desirable to maintain the height of the apparatus as small as possible. By minimizing the height of the weighing apparatus, the dangers which accompany the possibility of a forklift truck or the like tipping over are minimized. Also, the lower the height of the apparatus, the less material necessary for forming the parts thereof. Moreover, the length of the ramp for driving the vehicle onto the apparatus may be reduced. Thus, of course, the floor space necessary for the ramp is minimized by minimizing the height of the scale.
Known floor-mounted scales of the portable type utilize both shear beam load cells, as well as the axial type load cells, for supporting the load and providing an electrical signal indicating the weight of the load. Common axial load cells have a substantial amount of height in excess of a shear beam load cell for carrying equivalent weights. Accordingly, shear beam load cells have been utilized in floor scales in order to minimize the axial height of the scale. However, there is one known scale utilizing an axial type load cell of special construction which provides a relatively low weighing apparatus.